COP26 president urges for phasing out of coal to meet climate targets

The COP26 climate change conference president Alok Sharma said that phasing out coal is a must in order to reach climate targets.

In a wide-ranging speech delivered on Friday, he urged countries and companies alike to end the international financing of coal.

"We are urging countries to abandon coal power, seeking the G-7 to lead the way," he said. "At the same time, we are working with developing countries to support their transition to clean energy."

"The days of coal providing the cheapest form of power are in the past, and in the past they must remain," he went on to state.

To be able to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius as agreed in the Paris climate agreement in 2015 it is imperative for coal "to go", he added.

Sharma went on to state: "The reality is, renewables are cheaper than coal across the majority of countries. The coal business is, as the UN Secretary General has said, going up in smoke. It’s old technology."

"So let’s make COP26 the moment we leave it in the past where it belongs, whilst of course supporting workers and communities to make the transition, by creating good green jobs to fill the gap."

The COP26 summit is set to be hosted by the UK and held in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November 2021. It was originally due to take place in the same month of 2020, but was rescheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic.